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Student Experience Blog

College Dorm Life

Thu, Sep 8, 2011

When I was a high school senior, I wondered what life was like in a college dorm. Naturally I asked around and “googled” it, and tried to learn more about what it would be like to live in a college dorm. Of course, nothing on Google prepared me for what I was about to encounter.

I live in Hayman Hall, one of the largest freshman dorms on campus. It is so much fun; there is a kitchen on my floor with a flat screen TV and cable! You can leave your food in the fridge (if you trust people that is) and there is a microwave and a fully equipped kitchen. There is a community bathroom, which is not as bad as it sounds. I share that bathroom with about 30 girls, but I never have to wait to shower or use the restroom. Every floor is presentable and the bathroom is always clean. The custodial faculty in Hayman is amazing, every now and then they stop by my room to say hi and we talk.

In Hayman we are separated into three different floors, and two different sides; North and South. Every floor is always in constant competition, but of course we all still hang out, it’s so much fun! This weekend we are having the Hayman Olympics which is a competition between the floors! I’ll keep you updated.

There are some down sides to living in a dorm, one is that you are on your own now, you have to do your own laundry (which is downstairs) and a lot of people do not know how to do, you have to fix yourself a midnight snack, and you have to take care of yourself when you’re sick. However, the amazing thing is that everyone else is going through the same thing. The best part of living on campus in a college dorm is the people. If you do not know how to do your laundry, and chances are your roommate knows how to. If you do not know how to cook, your neighbor probably does. The support system is huge! You slowly become a family as a dorm.

But it’s not all just fun and games, when everyone starts doing homework, everyone starts doing homework. Having that environment where you can concentrate on your homework is something very specific to living on campus. It is also helpful when you cannot figure out your homework assignment and room 304 has the same teacher as you. Mini study session!

A little FYI, dorms can also be extremely loud, especially when you share a floor with other guys. If it gets too loud you can always go to the library to finish up your work which is open until midnight, but generally it is peaceful here. Except of course on the weekends! So don’t expect much sleep then.

In conclusion, living in a college dorm is a whole new experience. If you have that opportunity, take it.